Laura Diehl's WIP Thread

#321

Looking good so far, the detail in the background is very very impressive.

#322

This is looking good! Here are my suggestions to you:

The center of interest there is too busy. There’s too much going so your attention is split between the horse and the threatening spiders. I suggest you to get rid of the closest spider or push him farther to back so it doesn’t compete with the horse.

Also, I tweaked the colours a bit, you could consider adding some magenta to your greens so they’re not as saturated and more in harmony with the reds. I added a bit of red to the yellows, which were also made more pale. There’s so much contrast going on already between the jungle and the characters that if you saturate too much your colours, they’ll begin to struggle with each other for attention. :smiley:

#323

Damselfly: I think it will get better still when they are smoothly shaded and don’t have those sketchy lines.

Golgi!: Glad you think so.

slickgreekgeo: I think I spent as much time making custom brushes as I did painting with them :wink:

RalphD: You may have a point about the busyness of the center. I don’t see your color tweaks as better though -it looks rather drab to me.

And another mini painting. This one is a tad bit bigger: 9" x 12" Done start to finish yesterday evening. I’m surprised it turned out at all, as I was feeling rather sick the whole time.

#324

this is looking really good so far, but one thing that bothers me is the horse’s shoulders. They look too human, like maybe he’s an anthropomorphized (sp?) horse.

Than again, what do I know…I’m absolutely terrible at drawing horses…they always end up looking like big dogs.

Great work, looking forward to more! :bounce:

#325

johnny79: Better or not?

I worked mostly on the horse today, with a bit of attention to the nearest spider-guy, and a little messing with the characters faces (which I don’t really like yet). What do you all think of the newest version of Mr. Winged Horse?

#326

I think the horse’s front legs are too “human” right now. They seem to start near the back like human arms do, and he has shoulders (although they are less visible now than they were before). Bring the legs down a bit, use the reference photos you have, they have the proper anatomy fairly visible. The fact that the legs are located so high also makes them appear shorter. The left hind leg is looking a bit broken to me right now, perhaps you should shade the “heel” (the lower joint, I don’t know horse anatomy much) a bit more to bring it back.

#327

Looks a hell of a lot better than before. The wings look awesome. Can’t comment any more on the horse anatomy 'cos I’m not learned enough to see much wrong with it, but the back left leg (from the horse’s POV) looks like it’s broken because the shading suggests it’s coming forward and sideways, I think some darker shading will fix that.

I really like the background too. Doesn’t take attention from the foreground.

Looking forward to the next update.

EDIT: Lol looks like I was beaten to the broken leg problem while I was writing this.

#328

I did a lot on the main characters today and so much other “tweaking” that I can’t remember exactly everything. I still need to revisit the horse’s anatomy… but for now I need a break.

How is the human anatomy?

#329

this is very nice. i love the horse. :smiley:

#330

I think that she has got too short legs and a too long ‘belly’, expecially if compared to man’s proportions.

Looking forward :wink:

#331

The man’s anatomy is very good. Only his elbow (arm holding the vine) looks like a lump. It doesn’t look so bad in the larger pic just in the small one.
I also agree with cyborg, the woman’s legs are too short. Also the stomach won’t look so long if the legs are lengthened. And her feet look too small, the heel perhaps could be pointier.
The heads are excellent! Nothing else to crit.
I really like the green you have reflecting off everything especially in the forest, that looks totally awesome.

#332

Well, I’m back from Dragon*Con and ready to finish this one up. I spent the day on lots of little things, hopefully addressing the last three crits. What do you all think? Is it approaching “done” ?

#333

Nice improvments :slight_smile: looking very beautiful.

There is something about the dress that makes me have to think about which leg is closer (left or right). Something to do with how that part of the dress is stretched and folds…doesn’t fit the leg. The foot near the left edge of the canvas needs some work. Something to do with the toes and how the straps fit her foot… looks like an uncomfortable shoe…maybe the angle of the foot too. Perhaps the winged horse could do with a bit of that green lighting effect on him too to blend in like the others. That flower plant in the horse’s shadow is a bit odd looking…does it need to be there?

#334

frostblade: Thanks! I’m not really sure what to do about the leg position/dress folds…any ideas anyone? I think I see what you mean about the foot, I’ll see what I can do. I did put a bit of green on the horse, but you’re right I think he could use a bit more.

Any other final crits?

#335

I think that the trouble on right leg is related to the change of lighting between skin and cloth. See how the light has a stop where the cloth starts.
Hope that it will help you,
Serena.

PS : beautiful beautiful and again beautiful color choice.

#336

CyborgJA: Hmmm I think I see what you mean…

I thought I should post my general pose reference for the woman. I hate being my own model >_<.

#337

You’re following your reference photo too closely. Photos can lie, too. :slight_smile:

You have lights placed to your immediate left, while your painting is supposed to have longer morning shadows, right? From more overhead…or did I miss something…maybe you do want it coming in more from the left; but I’m also seeing some strong shadow being cast from a light source that is behind you and the camera, and to the left in the room. Hence some of the various light source confusion.

Still some odd foreshortening to me with the girl in particular. Helps alot to see your reference image. I think some of the problem is that you’re closely following your photo reference from the torso/hips and the legs; but then it appears as though you shift the angle to a much higher overhead view (part of the distortion of the photo as well because the subject is so close to the lens) which is the layout that you have the head and shoulders angled for. This link is actually about the view angle I think your illustration appears to have…rather than about shoulder height as your camera probably was to take the photo.

http://www.huecotanks.com/Images/people/96RockRodeoWinnerLarge.JPG

#338

tatiana: Point taken. I can see now what I mess this can create. How do I fix it? :wink:

I worked on a lot more little things today, which at this point I’m having trouble remembering.

I wanted to ask your preference as far as title text color goes …and any other title text pointers you may have. The font and relative size needs to stay close to what it is now for consistency with the other book I’ve already completed for this series.

#339

I looked for some Piers Anthony covers (funny, that’s immediately the visual references that came to my mind when I saw both your title text added as well as the very green background with brighter images) illustrated by Darrell K. Sweet …in any case, I found a few that have kind of a similar color scheme and typeface.

Additionally, use of a different paint or metallic tint or even embossing on the title text would also help separate the title from the cover art. I don’t know if the publisher is doing that or not for the series, but it’s another point to factor in.

My immediate reaction was to actually go with white as that would help pop the title more IMO from all the green and yellow already used throughout. However, that might be more contrast than what you or the art director and author want to have. If you check the examples I’ve given below, some used white or lighter text…but they used a second color as well to help separate either the title or the author’s name (which, I know you don’t have) but you could use to help separate the 2nd level of text the “sf fantasy” bit from the title…since you have them so very close together without much leading or space between the lines.

I’m not necessarily saying that these are the BEST examples :smiley: but they are sort of a similar genre certainly, and have much of the same color scheme. And even these examples, well, the text is kind of making it all a bit busy to my eye. Hope this helps anyways!

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e82/jenney_ben/x5608.jpg

http://www.booksamillion.com/bam/covers/0/34/535/492/0345354923.jpg

http://images.overstock.com/f/102/3117/8h/www.overstock.com/images/products/muze/books/0441644651.jpg

http://www.sfsite.com/~silverag/thessalonica.html

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#340

I’ve done this for you, cause I’m a little dummy with english and I think that I can express my opinions in a better way using images. Hope it will help you :love:

To be honest I think that you should use pure and bright red for your font, cause light green fights with the trees and golden yellow with your horse’s mane. But it’s only my opinion :slight_smile:

See you soon,
Serena.